2. Academic Validation
  3. LncRNA-HOXC-AS2 regulates tumor-associated macrophage polarization through the STAT1/SOCS1 and STAT1/CIITA pathways to promote the progression of non-small cell lung cancer

LncRNA-HOXC-AS2 regulates tumor-associated macrophage polarization through the STAT1/SOCS1 and STAT1/CIITA pathways to promote the progression of non-small cell lung cancer

  • Cell Signal. 2023 Dec 31:115:111031. doi: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2023.111031.
Cunli Yin 1,  Jing Li 2,  Siru Li 1,  Xi Yang 3,  Yingchun Lu 1,  Chunyu Wang 3,  Bin Liu 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, China.
  • 2 Department of General Internal Medicine, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Chengdu, China.
  • 3 School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China.
  • 4 Department of Medical Oncology, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Chengdu, China. Electronic address: binliu202003@126.com.
PMID: 38168631 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellsig.2023.111031
Abstract

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) mainly exhibit the characteristics of M2-type macrophages, and the regulation of TAM polarization is a new target for Cancer therapy, among which lncRNAs are key regulatory molecules. This study aimed to explore the effects of lncRNA-HOXC-AS2 on non-small cell lung Cancer (NSCLC) by regulating TAM polarization. THP-1 cells were used to differentiate into macrophages, and TAMs were obtained by coculture with A549 cells. The M1/M2 cell phenotype and HOXC-AS2 expression were detected, and A549-derived exosomes (A549-exo) were used to elucidate the effects of A549 on macrophage polarization and HOXC-AS2 expression. Then, by interfering with HOXC-AS2 or STAT1, the effects of HOXC-AS2 regulation of STAT1 on the TAM phenotype and STAT1/SOCS1 and STAT1/CIITA pathways were analyzed, and the proliferation and metastasis of NSCLC cells in the coculture system were also detected. Results showed that HOXC-AS2 expression in M2 macrophages and TAMs was significantly higher than that in M1 macrophages, and A549-exo promoted HOXC-AS2 expression and M2 polarization. Intervention HOXC-AS2 resulted in increased M1 marker expression, decreased M2 marker expression, and activation of STAT1/SOCS1 and STAT1/CIITA pathways in TAMs. In addition, HOXC-AS2 was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of TAMs and could bind to STAT1. Further experiments confirmed that intervention HOXC-AS2 promoted the M1 polarization of TAMs by targeting STAT1 and weakened the promoting effects of TAMs on the proliferation and metastasis of NSCLC. In conclusion, HOXC-AS2 inhibited the activation of STAT1/SOCS1 and STAT1/CIITA pathways and promoted M2 polarization of TAMs by binding with STAT1, thus promoting NSCLC.

Keywords

Non-small cell lung cancer; Polarization; STAT1/SOCS1 and STAT1/CIITA pathways; Tumor-associated macrophage; lncRNA-HOXC-AS2.

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